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Synonyms

cilium

American  
[sil-ee-uhm] / ˈsɪl i əm /

noun

  1. singular of cilia.


cilium British  
/ ˈsɪlɪəm /

noun

  1. any of the short thread-like projections on the surface of a cell, organism, etc, whose rhythmic beating causes movement of the organism or of the surrounding fluid

  2. the technical name for eyelash

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

cilium Scientific  
/ sĭlē-əm /
  • cilia
    plural
  1. A tiny hairlike projection on the surface of some cells and microscopic organisms, especially protozoans. Cilia are capable of whipping motions and are used by some microorganisms, such as paramecia, for movement. Cilia lining the human respiratory tract act to remove foreign matter from air before it reaches the lungs.


Etymology

Origin of cilium

From Latin

Vocabulary lists containing cilium

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Scientists have long known that abnormalities in a structure on kidney cells, or the primary cilium, cause cysts to form in kidneys.

From Science Daily Apr. 8, 2024

The reason for this daytime-induced enhanced healing process appears to be from the relationship the 24-hour cycle has on the length of the primary cilium.

From Science Daily Dec. 21, 2023

One tiny flick of a microscopic cellular hair, known as a cilium, can’t do much on its own.

From Scientific American Jul. 11, 2022

They also have a single, nonmotile cilium that responds to the rate of fluid movement in the tubule.

From Textbooks Jun. 19, 2013

The shorter cilium vibrates actively, and effects the locomotion of the organism, while the other trails behind; the whole body rolling on its axis with its pointed end forwards.

From Discourses Biological and Geological Essays by Thomas Henry Huxley

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